


The end of an era

by SweetBeet123



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Gen, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28958019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetBeet123/pseuds/SweetBeet123
Summary: A strange entity has been possessing Dream for the majority of the server, getting more and more aggressive as time goes on. Now that Dream has been imprisoned, the Dreamon has no purpose for this body anymore and leaves. What's left behind is an empty and confused Dream, who has nothing to rely on but some vague memories of who he used to be.Who are all these people? And why do they all hate him?
Comments: 30
Kudos: 428





	1. Confusion

“You have served your purpose, my insignificant friend. I’m not rotting here with you. I have no use for you anymore.”

Dream woke up with a burning sensation in his head. The room he was in was dimly lit by- what was it? The heat was close to unbearable and it made Dream a bit dizzy. He blinked a few times at the new sensation before realizing what was going on. He was completely surrounded by obsidian, a tough block which was cold in spite of the heat around him. 

Dream took a moment to analyze his surroundings. There wasn’t much, to be honest. Apart from some water, a clock, a chest and a lectern there was nothing there. A single block of glowstone gave the illusion there was lighting, but Dream noticed he wasn’t completely encased in the purple stone. On one side of the room was a wall of lava.

“Where the hell am I?” Dream mumbled to himself. “What the hell happened?” He got up from the cold floor and looked at himself. His armour was gone, he had no tools, no belongings, nothing. He raised an eyebrow at his empty hands. He always had something on him. 

“Haha, real funny guys,” Dream called out. “You can let me out now.” No answer. “George? Sapnap?” Silence. After a bit of hesitation, he walked towards the lava. It burned, but he didn’t fear it. He’d just respawn somewhere else. George and Sapnap liked playing, but they’d never be smart enough to spawn-trap him. He hissed as he stuck his head in the lava. The pure agony was unbearable but didn’t last long. Death meant nothing to him.

He felt himself come back to life but before he realized what was happening, he was falling to the floor, landing in a small water hole. They did spawn trap him.

“Hello?” he called out once again. He listened for a bit; he could usually hear his friend’s giggles on the other side of the wall after they’d boxed him in. Why did it feel like ages ago he heard their laughter? “HELLO?”

“Shut up!” A voice called back, startling Dream. “You’re supposed to be quiet! If you have something to say you can write it down. I’m not here to chat!” Sam. Dream recognized the voice of his friend, but the voice sounded so cold and empty. What was happening? 

“Sam, is that you?” Dream yelled, his voice shaking a bit. “Sam, what’s going on? Why am I in a box? Where are you?”

“Nice try, asshole,” Sam’s voice replied. “I’m not coming over, not a chance. Stop pretending you don’t know where you are. I’m not buying it. You’re the one who wanted this prison, now deal with it.”

Prison? He wanted it? Asshole? Dream wanted to ask so many things, but the noises in the distance told him Sam had already left. Left to where? How long was he supposed to be in here?

And why do I not remember anything?


	2. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After spending a few hours alone with his thoughts, Dream gets a visit from someone he barely knows. The kid doesn't seem all too happy to be there either, although Dream has no clue why

It’s been a few hours since Dream woke up. Extreme boredom was starting to get to his head, but the violent anxiety still had the upper hand. He’d been staring at the clock on his wall for a while now. He had nothing better to do anyway.

He had flipped through every single book in his chest, looking for answers. Now, he may not remember much, but “A guide on how to get girls” was not a good explanation. Why did he even write that? Every single memory he had was just a blur.

He did remember some things though. Like the community house he was building. It would be a house just for him and his friends. He remembered putting down chests so that everyone could take from them. He giggled a bit at the memory of the floor of crafting tables. 

He remembered the friends he had. George, Sapnap, Bad, Callahan, Alyssa, Ponk, Sam… Sam’s voice had been so cold those few hours ago. So empty of any emotion, as if he hated Dream. No, no, don’t think about that. Remember all the good things. Only good things. Like the farms. Or Ponk’s lemon tree. That was fun. Or what about all the pets they had? Spirit, Beckerson, Mr. Squeegie. He remembered how happy Bad had been when he got that little fish back. Only happy memories. Only happy memories.

His thoughts got interrupted by the sound of two voices. One was Sam’s, Dream recognized that out of nowhere. Who- who is that other one? It seemed vaguely familiar, but it was mostly just loud. 

“Hey, hey Sam! Thoughts on women? Why so serious, Sam?”  
“Please just face forward.”  
“Is this shit going to take long? Last time was a bit scuffed don’t you think?”  
“Tommy, if you don’t behave, I’m never letting you in again.”  
“Okay, okay, no need to be so serious.”

So that voice was Tommy. The name rang a bell, but it still meant nothing. When did he join the server again? Wait, wasn’t he the one who killed George? Now he remembered. Tommy was still a child. Young, innocent and full of hope in the world. A bit loud and annoying but if they talked a bit more they’d sure get along fine. Maybe that already happened? It was nice of the kid to come visit him in prison, for whatever reason it was. Going from Sam’s words he’d visited before. If only Dream knew what happened back then.

Suddenly, the lava dropped. Dream stood up, peering in the distance for the child. The sight he saw wasn’t at all what he expected. The bouncy child he remembered wasn’t there. Instead, there was an almost grown man, his hair ruffled and long. His clothes looked a bit disheveled, as if they hadn’t been changed in a while. The look in the boy’s eyes was as determined as it was terrified. Good god, who hurt him?

As the platform slowly made its way to Dream’s cell, the young man grinned a wide smile.  
“What’s up, dickhead!” he said. His voice was even louder now that he was close. “How you doing! Still rotting away in jail?” Dream just nodded slightly. So, this was Tommy now. Definitely not friends. Unless he was joking, but he knew joking. George would call him a dickhead pretty often, but there was always a laugh or a shoulder punch. Tommy was laughing, but definitely not joking. But before he could say a word, Tommy walked past him, roughly grabbing the books from the lectern.

“You didn’t even write anything!” he frowned. “Why didn’t you write anything?”  
“I- I don’t know,” Dream managed to utter. Tommy had already thrown the book on the floor. The thud made Dream flinch a little.

“Man, what’s happened to you?” Tommy asked. “Have you gotten soft? Hey, sucks to suck, that’s what I always say.” The boy grabbed a book and quill and started scribbling random things. “I remember writing ‘how to sex 3’ when I lived in Logstedshire. I was so much more productive than you are here. I actually got shit done.” 

What on earth is Logstedshire?

Tommy put the book back on the lectern. He glanced back at Dream, who was just confused about everything that was happening. Tommy raised an eyebrow at this. 

“Why so silent, Dream? Lost your voice from screaming too loudly? Nah, jk, save that for Gogy, I don’t want to know. Hey, hey Dream, remember this? ‘Give me your armour. Put it in the hole. My name is Dream and I like manipulating children.’ Remember that?” Dream stumbled for a bit before slowly muttering:

“I-I actually don’t.” 

Tommy got really quiet, his gaze softening a little bit. “What do you mean you don’t remember? Dream, don’t play this shit on me, you’ve lied enough.” But Dream just shook his head. 

“Tommy please, listen to me. I woke up this morning and I have no clue where I am. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what I was supposed to write, I don’t know what ‘Logstedshire’ or whatever is and I sure as hell don’t know anything about manipulating children. You have to believe me. I hardly even know who you are. Literally the only thing I know about you is that I banned you for a bit because you wouldn’t stop killing George.”

Tommy’s tough look now completely dropped. “Dream, that was 6 months ago! What do you mean, you don’t remember anything else? No, I don’t believe you! Sam!” Dream ran up to Tommy, grabbing his wrist.

“Tommy please! I’m being honest! I- “

“Don’t touch me!” Tommy shrieked, yanking his hand away from Dream’s grasp. “Don’t even come close to me! Haven’t you hurt me enough? I am so fucking done with your games! I was going to give you a chance, but now you can forget it! You sick green bastard son of a bitch! Sam! Sam! Get me out!” A potion of harming dropped and Tommy died, respawning on the other side of the wall of lava. 

Dream was left alone again as he heard Tommy’s half-crying voice fade. Dream’s heart was beaten rapidly and the man was having trouble breathing. Tommy didn’t believe him. Tommy was terrified of him. Manipulating children?

What on earth had he done?


	3. Hesitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream reviews the things Tommy had told him a few days ago. Nothing seems to make any sense.

“Sam!” Dream called out. “Sam! I need to talk to you! Sam!” No answer. Dream had been yelling for over an hour now, but the other side of the lava stayed quiet. Dream’s voice was starting to hurt and his throat ached, but he refused to stop. He needed answers. Not just answers, anything. Just a sound.

It had been three days and the silence was starting to become deafening. The slow flowing of the lava was a nuisance and the constant light was enough to drive even the healthiest man to insanity. The only fun thing around was the clock. It didn’t tick, it didn’t tock, the small wheel just spun slowly, day in, day out. It was hypnotizing.

Dream grabbed his book from the lectern. Immediately after Tommy had left a few days ago he wrote down the words the younger man had told him. He had read them over and over again but his memory still failed him.

“Dream, remember this? ‘Give me your armour. Put it in the hole. My name is Dream and I like manipulating children.”  
“I remember writing ‘how to sex 3’ when I lived in Logstedshire.”  
“Haven’t you hurt me enough? I am so fucking done with your games! I was going to give you a chance, but now you can forget it! You sick green bastard son of a bitch!”

None of the words made sense to him. He’d scribbled down little notes next to the lines, trying to make something of them, but they only created more questions. Where is Logstedshire? Why would a child write a book on how to sex? How badly did he hurt Tommy? Why on earth would he manipulate anyone?

Dream sat down and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. It helped him remember things, even though they were nothing new. The community house, the wooden paths, the farm.  
He remembered himself joking around with Sapnap and George. And how Bad would always be near, just like Callahan and Sam. Callahan didn’t say much, he remembered. He didn’t know why, just that he couldn’t recall Callahan ever speaking. He didn’t mind it, though. Callahan was always fun to be around, even when completely silent.

As he slowly drifted off to sleep, a soft tune began playing in his head. Dream didn’t know the song, but it was like he’d heard it a thousand times before. It just reminded him of the letter M. Melody, mahogany, melancholy. Dream opened his eyes and grabbed one of the empty books from his chest. The music played in his head, getting a bit louder every time he paid attention to the melody.  
He opened the book and started writing. Why was this song in his head? Why did it feel like there was so much attached to the notes? Okay, think. Write down everything that comes to mind.

Maybe a ballroom? A slow dance? No, scratch that. Watching the stars at night? No, that’s not it either.

A path. A wooden path. Men. Children. The colour purple. The colour red. The colour green. A big fight. A netherite chestplate. Children yelling. A man screaming. 

He knows these people. He knows the path. He knows the lands that he sees before his eyes. It’s the smp. HIS smp. Why is everything so loud?


	4. Apparition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream finally gets another visitor, but this time it's someone he has never seen before. He seems pretty nice, even though he doesn't look entirely human...

The sound of the moving platform woke Dream up. It took him another moment to realise where he was, but then he remembered. Oh, yeah. Prison.  
He got up from the floor to see who was heading towards him, but he was met with a face he didn’t recognize. One of his older friends? No, this face was completely strange to him.

The tall stranger was black and white, the colours split to either side of his face. He was much taller than Dream, but Dream couldn’t tell how tall exactly. He didn’t seem all too comfortable with the whole situation and it was clear he made himself look smaller than he actually was. In his hands, he was holding a grass block.

The tall guy stepped off the platform, which immediately retracted as the lava dropped again. Dream stared at the young man for a moment, completely confused. He seemed to be avoiding eye contact as he stood in front of Dream.

“Hi!” he said, his voice deep and kind. “I brought you this grass block, Sam said I could. I recently figured out I could pick it up and I wanted to show you. It makes me happy and I was hoping it would make you happy too!”   
Dream raised an eyebrow as the guy gently put the grass block on the ground. “There,” he said, nodding happily at his own action.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Dream asked. “I’m having some memory issues. Also, how did you get a grass block?” The guy flashed a bright smile at Dream, but still didn’t make eye contact.  
“I’m Ranboo!” the guy said. “I’m half enderman. And don’t worry, I know all about memory issues. I write them all down, but you’d know that, wouldn’t you?” Dream was at a loss for words as the tall man sat down against the wall, pulling out his own little book.  
“Sam said I could keep it on me,” he started talking. “This is kind of a big moment for me and I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget anything. I finally managed to remove the creepy smiley from the book, you know. How did you even do that?”

“I- I don’t-“ Dream said, now even more confused. “Wait, so you’re an amnesiac?”  
“You could call it that, yes.”  
“And you write down everything in that little book of yours?”  
“Yes. Well, almost everything. I tend to lie to myself from time to time. Wait, why are you asking me this? You know everything about this book. You stole it from me!”

“Okay, Ranboo,” Dream started. “Let me explain without seeming like a ‘bastard’. Tommy already cussed me out, so please don’t do that.”  
“I would never.”  
“Thanks. So, a few days ago I woke up here and I don’t remember anything from what happened. I talked to Tommy already and he told me my last memory was from six months ago. I wrote down a few things he told me, because they didn’t make sense to me. He kept screaming at me, telling me to stop lying since I’d already hurt him enough. But I don’t know what I did, I swear!”

It stayed quiet for a moment as Ranboo stared at the pages of his own book. He flipped through them a couple of times and Dream noticed his hands were starting to shake.  
“You- you have it too,” he stammered. He got up and started pacing around the room, trying to pick up the grass block but failing because of the constant mining fatigue. He stopped pacing and looked at Dream.   
“Think, Dream! What happened?” he asked. “Did you black out? Did you faint? Did you stress? Think!” Dream took a step back, putting up his hands in defence. By now, Ranboo’s black half of his face was spreading to the other half and he was starting to get taller. His words were starting to slur together and became unintelligible.

“Ranboo, are you alright?” Dream asked. “You aren’t looking like yourself.” By now, Ranboo’s speech had completely turned to a weird static noise which Dream recognised as the language of the endermen. What happened on this server? Why did they let in a halfling? They never do well in stressful situations. 

Dream took a step forward towards Ranboo, who was still growing. It wouldn’t be long before he hit his head on the ceiling.   
“Okay, you need to calm down now,” he said. “Tell me what’s freaking you out so much and what this has to do with me. Now, if you-“ He grabbed Ranboo’s wrist, but as soon as his fingers touched the shaking man before him, he poofed out of existence, leaving nothing but a few purple sparks. 

Dream was left alone again with nothing but a grass block inconveniently placed in the middle of his room. He looked around but Ranboo was truly gone. “He did say half enderman, right?” Dream asked himself. He looked around him, taking in the scenery. “Maybe it’s the obsidian. But who am I to know?”   
He walked up to the lava and started yelling. 

“Sam! Sam! We might have a little problem here!”   
“What is it now?”  
“You know my visitor? My lovely, lovely visitor? Well, there’s no visitor.”  
“What?”

Almost immediately, the lava dropped. Dream saw Sam’s jaw drop on the other side of the huge gap that separated them. Dream smiled weakly and gave Sam a small wave.

“Hi.”


	5. Recollection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream finally gets another visit, this time from his childhood best friend, Sapnap

Dream was sat against the wall, leaning back and staring off into nothing. He had ripped a few pages from his books, which were strewn around him in crumpled up balls. He wished they bounced, but the paper refused.   
A single tear rolled down his cheek. He refused to let his emotions get to him, but sometimes they showed without him allowing it. He didn’t bother to wipe it either. Let it roll. Not like anyone could see it, anyway. 

He thought about Ranboo a bit more. Sam had restricted all forms of visitation for a week, until he had figured out what exactly happened to Ranboo. As far as Dream knew, Ranboo was clueless. They just blamed it on him being an enderman in a weaker state of mind, and it didn’t really have many consequences other than the fact that Ranboo wasn’t allowed to visit anymore until he could learn to control himself.   
Dream hated that. Ranboo might have had something in those books of him. If he remembered Ranboo’s words correctly, he had something to do with the book as well. Maybe it would’ve given him answers about the past six months, if Ranboo even had been around for those months. He honestly couldn’t tell.

For now, he just craved something familiar. Sam had taken away the grass block Ranboo had placed, to Dream’s greatest annoyance. Though inconveniently placed, it was grass and that was something Dream longed to touch again.  
He thought about when he first created the server, when he didn’t have any armour yet. The feeling of the high grass between his toes, the water reaching his hips as he chased Sapnap into the river, the wind in his face as he stood on top of the hill that watched over the community house lake…

He longed for the voices of his friends, who he loved dearly. And he knew they loved him too. Well, except for Sam, but he still wasn’t sure why. Maybe it’s just professional, since he was the prison guard. Besides, he didn’t know how long he’d been in here, and he was sure all his friends had already visited him plenty of times. Why wouldn’t they?

Dream perked up when he heard the familiar sound of people entering the room on the other side of the lava. Would he finally have visitors again?  
The laughter and chatter he heard made his stomach twist. It was Sam, of course, but he knew the other voice like any other. It was Sapnap.   
He practically ran up to the lava and held his ear as close to it as possible so he could hear the conversation on the other side.

“So, he’s behind this wall of lava?”  
“Sure thing, just go stand over there, I’ll drop the lava.”  
“Thanks man. I must say I’m nervous.”  
“You should be. He’s not been himself lately. Should anything happen, just stand in the water, I’ll get you out.”

Dream put his hand to his mouth to stifle his gasp. His best friend’s voice made him want to cry right there on the spot, but he needed to compose himself. It’s been a while, and he didn’t want Sapnap to see him like this. He was already in a bad state, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt the man he loved so much.

As the lava dropped, Dream took a step back, tears starting to well in his eyes. He couldn’t tell if it was happiness or agony. His first impression he got from his friend was like the one he got from Tommy.

The man had clearly grown, and it looked like was years older than he was only six months ago. His usual white bandana was stained, and his hair was tied in a messy manbun. There was some dark stubble on his chin, but it wasn’t nearly as dark as his eyes, which looked at Dream in a way he had never hoped to see. This wasn’t a look you’d give your best friend.  
Dream gave Sapnap a small smile, happy to see his friend up close.

“Hi Pandas…”

Sapnap stopped dead in his tracks, a slight look of shock spreading on his face. He quickly recomposed himself, though, and he frowned.  
“Why the hell would you call me that?” he asked, his voice both empty and filled with hatred. “No, Dream, why the HELL would you call me that?” Sadness flashed in Dream’s eyes.

“Why- why wouldn’t I?” he asked. “That’s what I always call you, right? Sapnap, you’re my best friend, why wouldn’t I use the nickname?” 

“We are NOT friends.”

The words stung deep. Of all people, Sapnap was the last person Dream expected to be mad at him. And even while mad, Sapnap wouldn’t just break friendship. He was loyal, he was kind, he was brave. Dream had never seen Sapnap fully angry, had never seen him truly hurt, had never seen him sad. Well, except that one time Dream forgot his birthday, but that was quickly resolved with some cupcakes. This was different.

“What do you mean, we’re not friends?” Dream asked, choking back his tears. This was not the time for weakness. He needed answers, and he needed them fast.   
“Sapnap, we’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. You’ve always been by my side, we built together, we mined together-“ He was no longer able to hold back his emotions as tears started flowing. He didn’t break eye contact, though.  
“I- I don’t know what’s going on anymore,” he cried. “I don’t remember anything from like the last six months and now I’m here and everybody hates me. I don’t know what I’ve done, man, but don’t tell me I’ve somehow lost you. I- I can’t lose you…”

The sudden emotional outburst confused Sapnap. When he entered the prison he thought he’d be met with a tyrant, a shell of the man he once knew. But now that he was standing there, it finally seemed like his best friend was truly there. This wasn’t the Dream that ruled with an iron fist, this was his friend. He took a step forward and extracted his hand, hesitating for a moment before he pulled in Dream for a hug. Dream gladly accepted and completely broke down, sobbing in his friend’s stained shirt. 

“Hey, it’s alright,” Sapnap soothed. “Just breathe, man. I know you, and this isn’t an act. I’m not sure what happened either, but-“ He stopped mid-sentence, his thoughts ripped away from Dream.

“Shit…” he mumbled, and he let his friend go. He backed away, earning a confused look from Dream.   
“I’m so, so sorry, but I have to go,” Sapnap said hastily. “I’ll be back for you, I promise. I just thought of something. You’re going to be okay Dream, I promise.” He gave Dream another quick hug and yelled out for Sam, who dropped the potion to kill Sapnap.

Just like that, Sapnap was gone, respawned on the other side of the lava. Dream stood alone again, with nothing to show Sapnap was ever there, except for the smell of his clothes lingering on Dream’s skin.   
The moment lasted too short, way too short. It was nice Sapnap didn’t lash out at him, but it would’ve been nice if they could’ve hugged for a bit longer. Talked for a bit longer. Or at least been there for a been longer.

It seemed Sapnap knew something Dream didn’t, though. Dream wasn’t sure what, but maybe it would be a solution to all this.

Maybe in time, he could leave this prison. For now, all he had to do was stay alive to see it.


	6. Explanation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream calls Sam over and demands an explanation on why everyone is behaving so strange and why he is in prison. The answer he gets is something he never could've imagined.

“Sam? Sam, can we talk?” Dream had been laying on the ground for a while now, staring at the clock on his wall. In his hand he held a raw potato. He’d been eating less and less, but that’s just because raw potatoes were disgusting. What was he, a pig?

“Sam, come on, don’t ignore me. I know you’re there.” It stayed quiet for a bit longer and Dream contemplated just falling asleep again when there was a voice.

“What do you want?”   
Dream smiled softly. He liked it when people talked to him. It made the extreme loneliness just a little bit less unbearable. He’d lost count of the days by now, and it had been a long time since his last visit. Things weren’t going well for him, especially since Sapnap hadn’t come back after his sudden disappearance.

“Sam, I know you must hate me,” Dream said, just loud enough that Sam could hear him across the lava. “But can you at least tell me why I’m in here? I’ve already told Ranboo and Tommy, I don’t remember anything. Okay, I could’ve been a bit nicer to Tommy, but he kept calling George a bitch. Why would I be in prison for scolding a child?”

It stayed quiet for another moment before the lava dropped. On the other side was Sam, in full netherite, sword in hand. There was a bit of hesitance in his step as he made his way over to the platform, but he got on it, a small remote in his offhand.   
“Touch me once and I’ll make sure nobody talks to you for the rest of your miserable life,” he threatened. “I’m only coming over because you’ve been behaving the past days.”   
Dream nodded, not really looking at Sam. He knew he wasn’t lying. It sucked to be this powerless, that’s for sure. Not that he wanted to be in power, it’s just that this was his server, not Sam’s. 

Sam stepped off the platform, which retracted. The lava didn’t drop though, and Dream took this opportunity to look at the room he couldn’t see before. There was so much space between him and a possible way out. He knew he was practically a god at parkour, but even this was too much of a hassle. 

“So, what is it that you want to know?” Sam’s question pulled Dream from his thoughts. Dream looked at Sam, who looked a bit nervous. “But please make it quick, Tommy is waiting for me at the hotel. I need to play Sam Nook.”  
The nickname made Dream chuckle. “Sam who?” Sam gave a small smile.  
“Sam Nook,” he explained. “It’s a little role I like to play for Tommy to make sure he does the tasks I give him. He deserves to be a child again after all he’s been through. He deserves someone who will accept him for who he is, maybe teach him a little bit of kindness. Most people call him annoying and loud, but the poor kid is just traumatised.”

“Tell me about that,” Dream said. “You say he’s traumatised, but what happened? He makes me feel like it has something to do with me, but I’m clueless.” Sam’s smile disappeared and it seemed like there was fire in his eyes. 

“It definitely has something to do with you,” he spat. “You’re the whole reason of the trauma. All the wars, the destruction, the exile. You took everything from him: his country, his friends, his belongings, everything. And to top it off you’ve manipulated him into thinking he was alone, that he was worthless. You used him, Dream. He told me how much everything hurt him. He still can’t bear to look at a two-block deep hole because it reminds him of TNT. He hardly eats anything but golden apples because that’s the only thing that reminds him of the tiniest bit of safety. The only reason he came to visit you is because he wants to feel things again. It’s completely messed him up. I still don’t know everything, because he doesn’t want to look weak, so he won’t speak to me. But he will speak to Sam Nook, so I’ll keep playing that role. For him.”

Dream didn’t know what to say to that. Of all the things Sam could’ve told him, this was the least thing he’d expected. It seemed surreal and unbelievable. How could he have done this? He didn’t remember any wars, apart from a small fight surrounding a couple of music discs. It was kind of brutal, but not enough to severely traumatise anyone. Also, that just involved physical fighting, not severe manipulation. 

“And not just Tommy,” Sam continued without warning. “I’ve never seen anyone as power hungry and deranged as you, Dream. You’ve cut ties with everyone who loved you so nobody could get too close. You got rid of everything you owned so people couldn’t use it against you. And you decided to control everything and everyone, taking the things people loved most so you could control them. You were willing to take Bad’s best friend so he would listen to you, and you threatened to murder Tommy’s very best friend and only thing he had left so he’d finally submit to your games. You’ve turned against everyone on this entire damn server and that’s why you’re in here. I’m a nice person, Dream, but I’m willing to go as far as to say you don’t deserve the slightest bit of forgiveness.”

By now, Dream was completely in shock. He couldn’t speak, he couldn’t move, he could only stare at Sam in complete disbelief. This wasn’t him. This couldn’t be him. No. No way. 

“No,” he mumbled. “No, no this can’t be. Sam, no! Don’t tell me I did that! You know me, the real me wouldn’t do that! I like it when things go fair, yes, and I’ll enforce the rules of my server but I’m not a tyrant! I don’t know what happened, I don’t know what I did, but whatever it was, it wasn’t me!” He took a deep breath in a failed attempt to calm himself down.   
“Alright, alright no. I need to know. I want to know everything that happened. I want to know everything I apparently did. I need to know.” 

Sam raised an eyebrow at Dream’s reaction. Of course, Dream had already told him he didn’t know anything, but it still didn’t make sense. He’d seen Dream to these things with his own eyes, he’d seen the destruction Dream had caused. But now that he mentioned it, Sam knew the Dream he knew before wouldn’t do these things. And so, he started to speak.

He told Dream everything he could remember or what he had heard from others. The disc war and Tommy’s attachment to them. The creation of L’manberg and the war for independence. The elections and the dictators that ruled the country. The rebellions, the festival, Eret’s betrayal and his kingship. The insanity of Wilbur and the explosion that followed it. He told about Tubbo’s rule and Dream’s iron fist over this new L’manberg. He talked about Tommy’s exile and repeated what Dream had done there. He talked about Tommy’s escape from Logstedshire and his time with Technoblade. How Technoblade’s hatred for government grew even more and how Dream helped Techno survive his own execution. He talked about Dream’s alliance with Techno as they took L’manberg’s last canon life. He told Dream about the final disc war where he finally lost as everyone stood up against him and how the only reason Dream was alive was because he claimed he knew how to revive the dead, and how important Wilbur was for Tommy that Tommy agreed not to completely kill Dream. 

Through all of this, Sam never hesitated to tell Dream exactly what his role was in all of this. How HE was the one who blew up L’manberg the first time. How HE was the one who provided Wilbur with TNT for the second time. How HE promised Eret his crown, while also taking it away and giving it to George when he felt like it. How HE was the one people feared most of all, except maybe Technoblade at some points.

By the end of this, Dream had surprisingly little to say. He just stared at Sam, flabbergasted by not only the fact that all this had happened in only six months, but also that he still didn’t remember anything. The wars seemed like from a work of fiction, and the names of the people in the story didn’t ring a bell, unless of course he already knew them.   
The information was just a little too much to fully process, Sam realised. He waved his hand in front of Dream’s eyes, who blinked a few times before snapping out of it.

“Sorry, I just didn’t expect that,” he said softly. “And quite honestly, I’m not sure I believe you. I don’t know 90% of the people you’re talking about, I don’t know any L’manberg, or Pogtopia, or anything. I know you’re probably telling the truth, but it’s just…”

He didn’t finish his sentence. What was it? It’s not like he could prove it wasn’t true, he was completely dependent on his friend’s knowledge. But if it was all true, it would make sense why he was in here. He would do the same if he saw anyone act that way.

“You know what, can you leave?” Dream asked Sam. “I need some time alone. I want to see if I can remember anything, even if it’s just the slightest thing. I can hardly believe it, but if I do, I want to see what I know.” 

Sam nodded and got up. He got on the platform without another word and Dream watched as the lava dropped again. He was left alone again, and it was probably for the best. He walked over to his lectern and with a shaky hand, he grabbed his quill and started writing.


	7. Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream makes a little list of the people and stories Sam had told him. They don't make much sense, but at least he has something to look at in his search for himself.

It had been a few hours since Sam left, and Dream finally felt like he had a bit of an overview over the story Sam had told him. He had written down the names Sam mentioned and how they tied into the story. He had carefully separated them between the names he knew and the ones he didn’t. The list of people he didn’t know was surprisingly long. His book looked a little like this:

Known:  
\- Sam  
\- George  
\- Sapnap  
\- Badboyhalo  
\- Alyssa  
\- Ponk

Unknown:  
\- Wilbur Soot  
\- Eret  
\- Fundy  
\- Punz  
\- Jschlatt  
\- Jack Manifold (Sam referred to him as Thunder sometimes)  
\- Niki Nihachu  
\- Quackity  
\- Technoblade  
\- Philza Minecraft  
\- Tubbo

Familiar:  
\- TommyInnit  
\- Ranboo

Sam told him he hadn’t mentioned everybody, so the list wasn’t even complete. Dream had read their names over and over again but didn’t recognise most. He had marked their names to see who would seem like the most important. He had concluded that Tommy, Wilbur, Jschlatt and Technoblade were crucial in his search for himself. Too bad Wilbur and Jschlatt was dead. This meant he was left with a child that hated him and an anarchist pig (?) who lived far away from civilisation. Great.

Maybe Ranboo could help him, too, but it would be a long time before he would see the enderman again. Besides, Sam had barely mentioned Ranboo, only that he helped Tommy burn down George’s house and that he got away with it when Tommy took responsibility. Ranboo was definitely hiding something, but how would Dream know what, when he didn’t even know himself or the stories that were known?

He turned the page and stared at the names of locations on the server Sam had mentioned. It seemed that the server had grown in size, with many roads, buildings and history. Hell, there was an entire other country within the SMP, though Sam said there was nothing but a huge crater after Technoblade and Philza unleashed their withers and army of dogs. Apparently, Dream himself went nuts on the TNT as well to the point where bedrock was visible from above. The thought made him shudder. He hoped not too many lives were lost. 

Explosions seemed to be a big thing on the server. The country of L’manberg had been blown up three times, Technoblade seemed to have an obsession with withers and apparently Tubbo was in possession of literal nuclear weapons. The thought brought Dream to his next point of attention: Tubbo.

The boy was by far the strangest to Dream. Sam described him as a lovely kid. Cheerful, happy and a great lover of nature. He had built a bee dome because there was nothing the boy loved more than bees. He was Tommy’s closest friend and companion, always optimistic. And that very boy was the one who was president of L’manberg. He exiled his best friend, he never showed anything got to him but when it did his voice was cold enough to freeze over the land. And now he had nukes. 

Every character Sam had described was unique in their own way. Wilbur the motivated leader who turned insane, young boy Fundy who turned against his father in war, loyal Eret who betrayed his allies for a crown, anarchist Technoblade who was used and left behind by everyone and Philza who had to murder his own son on his very first day on the server. Yet none of them was as mysterious as the kid Sam called Tubbo. Deep inside Dream hoped he would someday look upon the child who seemed both sunshine and thunder.

By now, Dream had lost complete track of time. His clock on the wall seemed like a blur and his eyelids were starting to get heavy. He stared at the many pages he had filled with information, but he wasn’t able to read most of them. 

With his brain filled with more information it could really handle, Dream drifted off to sleep.


	8. Solution?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when Dream is close to losing his last bit of sanity, two strangers come to offer him a solution.

When Dream woke up, he couldn’t help but groan in frustration. He had managed to roll over in his sleep and ended up face first on his book. The words he’d written were smudged and even without a mirror he knew the ink stained his cheek. 

He got up from the ground and stumbled to his cauldron. He cupped his hands in the water and splashed it in his face, rubbing it in before drying himself off with his sleeve. Dark stains immediately marked the cloth. Stupid ink. 

He grabbed his book from the floor and looked at the words. His carefully written page about Wilbur was smudged and barely readable anymore.

A fit of rage flew over him and he smashed his book against the wall across him. The work fell to the ground with a soft thud. This didn’t help at all, and it made him even angrier. He stomped on the ground and pulled his hair in frustration.

“Why don’t you know anything!” he yelled out. “Why can’t you just think? You’re so stupid! You fucking idiot! Are you even human? Who doesn’t remember six months of war and chaos?” He kicked the wall. It hurt, but he couldn’t care less.  
He started pacing around, his anger growing with the second. After running in the wall a few times, he dropped to his knees and clutched his arms. 

“You’re such an idiot!” he gritted through his teeth, biting back his tears. His shirt was starting to tear, bearing his upper arms and his nails leaving red lines across his skin. He didn’t feel it. “Why don’t you know anything? Why don’t you know? Why don’t you remember?”

“I have a theory.” The sudden voice pulled Dream from his thoughts. He hadn’t even noticed the lava had dropped; he was so lost in his own mind. 

Dream looked up to see two people he didn’t recognise. They were about the same age, maybe a few years between them. One had bright orange hair with a few white streaks and paws instead of feet. A black jacket with brightly coloured stripes hung loosely around his shoulders. A sly smile peered from underneath his black head, which was held in place by two pointy ears. Overall, the man just looked like a fox.  
The other was a lot smaller, but he was clearly mature. He wore a bright green top, and he had a thick fur coat draped over his arm. His dark brown hair looked ruffled and a large scar marked his face, which glistened beneath his sweat. He had clearly underestimated the extreme heat in the prison. Dream wondered where the scar was from.

“Hi Dream!” the taller man spoke. “Remember me?” The sly smile didn’t leave his face once. Dream shook his head, confused. The taller man just shrugged.

“Well, it was worth a shot. I hoped you’d at least remember your ex-fiancé.”  
“My what now?” Dream asked, shocked. The other burst out laughing. His laugh was intoxicating, and for a split second Dream could definitely understand why he’d ever be engaged to him. 

“Fundy, shut up!” the younger man decided to speak up. “It’s not my fault you’re still so salty about the wedding. That’s not why we’re here, and you know it.” So the red-haired man was Fundy. Dream should’ve guessed that, to be honest. Sam had told him about the fox-boy. Wilbur’s son.

“So, you’re Fundy,” Dream said. “And you are?” He glanced at the smaller boy.  
“I'm Tubbo!” he said. "I'm the pawn, remember that?" There was fear in his eyes when he locked eyes with Dream. He took a deep breath to recompose himself and in a split second there stood a wall instead of a boy. 

So, this was Tubbo. The most mysterious person in the entire SMP, for as far as Dream knew. The former president, the orphan, the one who lost it all. 

“Look, if you’re planning on staring at me, I can just leave, you know,” Tubbo said curtly. “There’s no point in wanting to kill me anymore, buddy. You’ve got nothing to gain or lose anymore.” Fundy put a hand on Tubbo’s shoulder.

“If we can believe Sapnap, I don’t think he remembers wanting to kill you,” he said, his voice calm. “No need to remind him.” Dream immediately perked up.

“You guys spoke to Sapnap?” he asked. “I mean, I thought he’d just left me behind.” Tubbo grinned.  
“Are you kidding me?” he said. “The man practically came running to my doorstep, begging me to help him. A few quick calls later Fundy joined me, we spoke about the whole thing and now we’re here. So, what do you know about Dreamons?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a shorter chapter, but I felt like using a cliffhanger. Sorry :)


	9. Education

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fundy and Tubbo explain the existence of Dreamons on the server. Dream appreciates the effort and tries to make amends with Tubbo.

Dream stared at the two guys in front of him, his jaw slightly dropped. When he didn’t get an immediately reaction, he let out a small chuckle.

“Dreamons.” He spoke. “Are you kidding me? Of all the things you could’ve made up, you decided to go with ‘dreamon’? This is not a joke or anything, so if you guys want to be funny you can bully George or something.”

“Nono, I’m serious!” Fundy blurted out. “We’ve actually done this before! Come on, you’ve got to at least remember the whole exorcism thing?”

Dream thought for a moment, trying his hardest to remember. A small moment of clarity flowed through his brain and a scene played out in his head, clear as day.

He saw dirt, a fence, but it was mostly a blur. Suddenly, he realised why. There were eggs in his face, being thrown at him with force. A blur. Iron doors. A blur. It started getting blurrier and blurrier, until there was just a screen of grey in front of his eyes. He felt panic wash over him as he started to lose his balance.

“Hey! Hey Dream!” Dream shook his head and blinked a few times. Tubbo was snapping his fingers in front of his face, pulling him back from his thoughts.

“Are you alright?” Fundy asked. “Do you remember?” Dream just stared right through him. Everything around him felt a bit surreal, as if he wasn’t really himself. 

“I- I don’t think I do,” he mumbled. “For a second, I did, it was the first moment of clarity I’ve had all week, but now it’s gone again. Now I’m just confused.”

“Well I think it’s finally done,” Tubbo spoke. “I think the Dreamon left you, and now you’re yourself again. That’s why you don’t remember anything. It completely took over and you as host don’t know what he did.”

“That’s great,” Dream scoffed. “But before I start thinking I’ve been possessed, can you explain what a ‘Dreamon’ is? Because I’m still clueless.” Fundy and Tubbo shared a look, deciding who would tell the story. It didn’t take any words to conclude it would be Tubbo.

“Okay,” Tubbo started. “Dreamons are an entity that roam the server, and they have been for longer than we have. You didn’t create the server, you joined it, just like we all did. Dreamons are some sort of higher power here, and they want it to stay that way.   
They are extremely aggressive and power hungry and will possess whoever they want in order to keep the server the way they want.”

“There are two types of Dreamons,” Tubbo continued. “The ‘normal’ ones, who possess someone and leave afterwards, and the ‘transmuted’ ones, who can switch between the Dreamon version and normal version. I think you were one of the transmuted ones, but we fear something went wrong in our exorcism and achieved the opposite of what we wanted. Now that I think about it, your behaviour has really gone downhill since we tried exorcising you. Sorry ‘bout that.”

Dream took a moment to process the younger man’s words. It didn’t really make sense, but what other explanation did he have?  
“So, where does that put me?” he asked. “You said a transmuted dreamon or whatever switches between his own form and his human form. Did I somehow spend 6 months in that dreamon state?” Fundy immediately nodded.

“Well, we just said dreamons like control,” he explained. “So it would make sense they try to take over when conflict gets out of hand. And if I’m honest, I can’t really remember any time in the last months where there wasn’t some sort of conflict. Mostly L’manberg, but other things as well. We’re not a very peaceful server.” Dream rolled his eyes.  
“Tell me about it.” 

Fundy glanced at the clock on the wall. “Our time is almost up,” he said. “Think about what we said, Dream. Maybe we’ll have a definite solution soon.” He gave the green man a small smile as turned around, walking towards the water. 

“Tubbo, can you stay a bit longer?” Dream asked. “I need to talk to you.” Fear immediately flashed across Tubbo’s face. Dream seemed different, but the endless tormenting and fake friendship has left a mark he might never truly recover from. He glanced over at Fundy, who shrugged.  
“What’s he gonna do?” he simply asked. The comment helped a bit, and Tubbo walked away from the water so he wouldn’t be hit. He flinched a bit as Fundy dropped dead before his eyes, even though it really meant nothing. After Fundy had disappeared, Tubbo looked at Dream.

“What else could you possibly want from me?” he asked, preparing himself for the worst.

“I just want to apologise.” Well, he certainly didn’t expect that.  
“What?”

“Look, I still don’t know everything, but from what I’ve heard I haven’t exactly been kind to you. Sam told me that I manipulated you into thinking I was your friend when I didn’t mean it, that I dragged you down in front of everyone you love, called you can idiot and a fake president. I even went as far as to call you a pawn, as if this was all a game and you were but a small insignificant piece who would be the first to go in the great game.”

“Thanks for reminding me.” Tubbo’s voice was soft and for the first time Dream could hear how broken it was. He looked older, but he really was just a kid who got caught in the crossfire. Dream’s heart sank as Tubbo brought his hand up to his face and slowly touched the scar on his face.

“Did I do that?” Dream asked, but Tubbo shook his head. He wasn’t even making eye contact.  
“No… no, Technoblade did. On Schlatt’s command. But it’s okay, it stays in the pit.” He looked at his hands, which also bore scars. “And then there was Eret’s betrayal…” He glanced up at Dream.   
“Sometimes I wonder why I am even here. The entire server just seems to be out to get me at all times. I was a shit president and an even worse friend. I cave under peer pressure and people hate me for it. I stand up for myself and people hate me for it. I stay in my nation and I’m wrong. I leave it behind and I’m wrong. People expect everything but accept nothing.”

He paused for a moment and realised what he was doing. He took a deep breath and recomposed himself. “Never tell anyone what I just told you,” he said, his voice stronger again. The wall was back up. 

“I won’t tell anyone,” Dream promised. “But I want you to know that I don’t know what ever came over me. Well, it could be the dreamon, but I don’t know that either. I wanted to let you know that the real me would never do what I did. I want to sincerely apologise for everything I’ve ever done to you. It may not really have been me, but it still was, technically. From the stories Sam told me you seem like a genuinely nice guy and it pains me to see you this hurt. Please, if there’s ever anything I can do for you, let me know. I feel like I owe you that.”

Tubbo looked away, discreetly wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. He never knew this side of Dream, and the speech came completely unexpected. Part of him was still deadly afraid it was all a ruse, but for the very first time Dream’s voice seemed genuine. 

“Thank you, Dream,” he simply said. “I don’t think you can ever undo what you did, but maybe things will change. Who knows, right?” His voice was still sad, but at least a bit less concerned.

“Maybe you can come by some other time?” Dream suggested. “We can talk about bees, or about space.” Tubbo let out a small chuckle at the mention of his favourite things.  
“You can tell me about the bee dome you built, or about your pets. And I’ll tell you about my adventures from before the server, before all the wars and destruction. Do you think we could do that?”

Tubbo smiled. “You know what? Sure.” And with that, he left. Dream stood alone in his cell, staring at the wall of lave. He watched as Tubbo’s nametag faded out of sight, off into the world outside the prison. Dream realised he didn’t even know what the server looked like by now, and honestly he couldn’t even imagine it either. 

Maybe one day he’d be able to see it again. Maybe he was on his way to find a solution, on a way out.


	10. Reconnection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream gets another visitor! He's been getting a lot lately.  
> This time it's another man who claims they have a lot of history together, even though Dream doesn't remember. He's not too sure about him either...

For the first time in weeks, Dream actually slept fine. The immense pressure of his unknown past had somewhat lifted now that Tubbo and Fundy had given him a possible explanation. It wasn’t him. It wasn’t his fault. 

He was also glad he had already started making amends. He felt like he should’ve apologised to Fundy too, but he didn’t have a clue yet for what. He mentioned something about an engagement but whatever it was, it was way less bad than for example Tommy and Tubbo. These things take time anyway. 

In time, he would apologise to every single person on the server, even though he hadn’t met most of them. It would be awkward, but needed.

It was only about half an hour after Sam had brought Dream his potatoes, that he heard the sounds of the prison again. Another visitor? That would be great. Maybe Sam was finally warming up to Dream, now that he finally behaved himself.

His suspicions were confirmed when he heard Sam’s stern voice, followed by a sigh.  
“I don’t even know why I should let you in here,” Sam groaned. “I know that all forms of government are practically gone by now, but it still feels wrong that you’re here.”

“Don’t worry about it,” an even deeper voice replied. “You know me, I thought this would be pretty funny. Plus, I need the clout.” Dream could practically hear Sam roll his eyes.  
“Don’t push your luck.”

The lava dropped, and Dream was met with quite a sight. On the platform stood a tall man, at least 6 feet tall. He was wearing a mask that resembled the skull of a boar, and a long pink braid was lazily draped over his shoulder. On his shoulders hung a long, red cloak, which was soaked from the water that visitors needed to go through before entering the cell. It looked really heavy.  
Overall, the man looked incredibly threatening, and Dream took a step back, even though there was still lava and blocks of netherite between them.

When the man finally stood in front of Dream, Dream looked up hesitantly. Now that the man was close, it was clear he was actually 6’5, and while Dream had often been confident about his size, he felt his 6’3 wasn’t even close to the size of the man in front of him. 

“Hallo,” the man spoke, dragging out the ‘o’. His voice was deep, but not at all threatening. Or sad. Or happy. It actually didn’t have much emotion at all.

“Hi,” Dream said, giving a small smile. “So, how are you?” A big grin spread across the man’s face, which was just visible beneath the mask that rested over his eyes.  
“So, you do remember me? Sam told me you had memory issues. I get it though. I am pretty amazing.”

“You’re Technoblade, right?” Dream asked. “Sam told me about an anarchist pig, I just didn’t think he meant the ‘pig’ part literally.”  
“Yeah, people tend to have that reaction,” the man shrugged. “I don’t care anymore.” The silence that fell was a bit awkward, but it felt right. At least to Dream, it did.

“So, why did you come over?” Dream asked. “Did Sam tell you about my memory loss?”  
“Oh yeah, he mentioned it.” He just didn’t seem to care at all. “I just thought it would be funny to visit and laugh at you, but now this is just sad.”  
He glanced around him, taking in the obsidian box. He nodded to himself for a bit before turning to Dream with a blank look on his face. Or maybe it was just the mask.

“It’s a pretty secure place,” he said, “but I still got a couple of withers. And by ‘a couple’ I mean about 40. If you want to call in that favour, I can give it a try.”

“Wait, what favour?” Dream asked, confused. Sam hadn’t told him about any favour. Sam did tell Dream that Technoblade had plenty of withers, having used two in the first explosion of L’manberg and at least 14 more in the Doomsday war. How on earth did he have 40 more?

“Technoblade, what favour?” Dream repeated when the pigman just stared at him.  
“Okay, first of all, call me Techno,” he responded. “Technoblade is what my enemies call me and though you’re a pretty crappy dude I wouldn’t exactly call you an enemy. You’re not my friend, but you’re not my enemy either. Second of all-“ He stopped for a second, seeming to hesitate.

“No,” he continued. “I’m a man of my word. You saved my life once, Dream. The Butcher army came for my head and you gave me supplies, a totem and even got me my most beloved horse back so I could escape. We decided I owed you big time, and you could cash in this ‘favour’ practically anytime. It’s been a while, but you still got it. Plus, I’m free today.” 

Dream thought about this. It was pretty awesome that Technoblade was in his debt, especially since Sam told him Techno was basically the most powerful man on the server. And it was clear he was. Even without any armour on, the man beamed confidence, his posture strong and sturdy, even when relaxed.  
His eyes never truly met Dream’s, and he wasn’t really ready for the moment they did. Everything about him just screamed power, and Dream wasn’t sure he was entirely comfortable with it.

“Are you- are you intimidated by me?” Techno asked, letting out a low chuckle.  
“A little, yeah,” Dream answered, earning another grin from the pigman.

“I’m not surprised. Your memory went, along with your image of me. And people tend to be scared of me when they first meet me. I don’t mind, though. I like keeping people at a distance, I don’t like social situations. Besides, it’s nothing. They’ll know when they should be legitimately terrified of me.”

His words weren’t very comforting. Dream took another hesitant step back. He almost considered using the favour for Techno to not murder him on the spot. Good thing they were on neutral terms, no matter how long the history. 

“Oh, come on, Dream, you’re not being serious, are you?” Techno asked with a laugh. “There’s no reason to be scared of me right now. Usually I’d find it funny, but it’s getting uncomfortable. We fought together, we spoke together, I even ridiculed you for being homeless. We’re good.” 

Dream nodded, ignoring the homeless comment for now. He was fine. They were fine.  
“So, do you need me to help you?” Techno asked, pulling Dream from his thoughts again. Dream just shook his head.

“No need, thank you,” he answered. “I got Fundy and Tubbo rooting for me and they might get me out of here in a more legal way than blowing the place up. I need to make amends with everyone I hurt, and I don’t think they’ll appreciate it if the first thing I do is team up with you.”  
Techno’s relaxed expression dropped, and even with the mask Dream could see his frown. 

“Tubbo.” He simply stated. “You want Tubbo to help you. Yeah, you can pretty much forget that favour if you’re pandering to them. Because if you got Tubbo, you’ve got Tommy. When you’ve got Tommy, you haven’t got me. I hate Tubbo, and I despise Tommy. Don’t come crying when they stab you in the back, because they will. Whatever, I’m going back to Phil and Ranboo.”  
He turned on his heels and marched towards the lava, ready to leave immediately.

“Ranboo?” Dream couldn’t help but ask. “You’re close with Ranboo? How’s he doing? I haven’t heard from him since he left here in a panic.”  
Techno’s shoulders relaxed again, and he stopped walking. He looked over his shoulder at the green man.

“He’s fine,” he sighed. “I found him wandering the server, half asleep and confused. He was scared, but after some grass blocks and cookies he was fine. I found him sleeping with the hounds later that night.” A small smile spread across his face. “He wants to be closer to us so badly, but he’s too scared to ask. I told him he could come in whenever he wanted, but he said he didn’t want to be an annoyance. I would usually not admit this out loud, but I’d fight the world for that boy. He’s alright.”

He took a deep breath and turned around fully to face Dream again. “You know, maybe I overreacted. Feel free to come visit us when you get out. We live very far away, in a snow biome, but Tubbo can point you in the right direction. Just as long as you don’t bring him or Tommy along with you.” 

“Thanks, Techno,” Dream smiled. “I will. It was good to see you.”

“You too, old friend.”

And with that, the pigman disappeared from the cell, leaving Dream alone again. But it didn’t feel as lonely anymore. It was like he found an old friend, even though he didn’t remember him. Once the fear had worn off, Techno seemed like a nice guy. It was almost difficult to imagine this man caused so much destruction to the server. Then again, he wasn’t the only one. 

Dream laid back on the ground, letting his mind wander to a snow biome far away. He saw Techno with another man farming around a cabin, smoke rising from the chimney. Ranboo was there too, and he waved. It seemed so nice, and it was like an actual memory, not just imagination. 

Maybe one day he’d be able to join them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The way I imagined Techno in this chapter is a lot like this speed paint by The Channel Without A Name: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_5g3AZuQMk  
> So kudos to them for making this amazing design!
> 
> Also, feel free to leave suggestions on how I should continue the story! I’ve got some ideas, but I’m always open for more!


	11. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam has a nice surprise for Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little author's note: the egg doesn’t exist in this story. It’s not that I don’t like it, I just have no clue how to properly intertwine it with what I'm writing

It’s been a day, but Dream was much calmer than he was before. He didn’t know exactly what was going on, but his crushing anxiety had started to fade, and he finally slept for the first time in a while. 

The lava dropped, and Dream expected a visitor, but it was just Sam. Dream propped himself up on his elbows, staring at the man with the creeper mask.  
“Sup?” he asked. “I thought it wasn’t time for potatoes yet. I keep checking the clock, so I’d know.” Sam nodded.

“I know, but you’re not getting potatoes today,” he said. Dream’s heart sank again. Why not? He hadn’t been misbehaving, he’s just been himself. There was no reason for Sam to withhold any food. Before he could respond, Sam spoke up again.

“You’re coming with me.” Dream was perplexed. He was what?   
“Yeah,” Sam answered the question in Dream’s mind. “Tubbo and Fundy have been vouching for you, just like Sapnap. Even Techno managed to slip in a good word, and he doesn’t usually do that. You’re getting out for a day. One day, and I will be by your side at all times. If you even so much think of pulling any stunts, you’re back in here indefinitely.” 

Dream didn’t know how to respond. Was Sam playing some sick joke? Could he actually leave? Was he going to see outside again? Sam didn’t wait for any answers and let the platform pull back again.

“You better get on fast,” he warned, and Dream leaped after him, just barely making it to the platform.  
“Nice,” Sam commented.  
“Parkour god, remember?”  
“Oh, so you do remember that?”  
“What can I say? It’s part of me.”  
“Sure. Set your spawn please.”

Dream right clicked the bed, seeing the little message pop up. It was official. If he died now, he wouldn’t respawn in the gross water anymore. A light shudder went down his spine.

The way out seemed to take ages; it was even worse than he had remembered. He went through the last hallway and arrived at the huge portal that separated him from the outside world. He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, but it didn’t matter. His heart was pounding in his chest and everything just felt heavy. He felt a lump in his throat, but he didn’t let it out.

“Go on through,” Sam said. “Let me know when you get to the other side so I can change it. When you get outside you will wait for me by the entrance, and don’t even think about running. You will have Punz on your back in less than a minute.” 

Dream didn’t hesitate as he stepped in the purple swirls. It made stomach feel queasy, he hadn’t done this in a while. He didn’t mind the feeling, though. It was a familiar feeling, and he closed his eyes as he felt himself teleport to the other side.

“I’m through,” he called out as he stepped out into a black box.  
“Alright, go on back,” Sam answered. Dream obliged, stepping through again, letting the purple wash over him once more.

He squinted his eyes at the sudden bright light as he stepped out of the portal again. At the end of the short hallway was the very thing he had been missing for so long. No, he had to wait. After all this, he was not risking doing anything Sam might not agree with. He wanted to enjoy every second of today.

Luckily, Sam appeared soon, giving a slight smile. “You really didn’t move a muscle, did you?” he asked. Dream just nodded.  
“Well, what are you waiting for? Come on out!” 

He didn’t have to ask twice. Dream ran forth, towards the exit of the horrible place he’d been stuck in for so long. As soon as he stepped outside, he felt two arms wrap around his neck with such a force he almost fell over. It took him a moment to realise who it was, but quickly recognised his best friend.

“Sappynap!”  
“Dream!”

“Dream!”  
“George!” 

More hugs were shared and Dream almost cried with joy. Everything he was experiencing was overwhelming. The bright sunlight, the soft summer breeze, the grass finally between his toes again.

“Dream!”  
“Bad!” 

The shorter man buried his face in Dream’s neck. “You are so terrible, you stupid muffin!” Bad cried. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” Dream didn’t say a word, he just hugged his friend back. The Dream Team was reunited at last, and nothing could ever separate them again.

“Bad, what are you doing?” Never mind. Dream looked up to see a dark-haired man standing next to them, about the same age as Dream. He was wearing a bright blue shirt and bright blue pants. Overall, the man just reminded Dream of diamonds.

“Sorry, who are you?” Dream asked.  
“I’m Skeppy. I’m Bad’s best friend,” the man answered, putting extra emphasis on the ‘best’.

“He gets jealous,” Bad giggled, still holding on to Dream.  
“Bad come oon,” Skeppy whined.  
“No,” Bad grinned.   
“Fine.” 

The blue guy walked away, ignoring Bad completely. Within a second, Bad was off Dream and ran after the guy, throwing his hands around his neck.

“Skeppy wait!” he begged. “Don’t leave me!” He was slightly smaller than Skeppy, but not by much.   
“Finee,” Skeppy dragged out. “I guess I can give you attention.” Bad giggled again, happy that his whining had worked.

Dream glanced over at Sapnap, an eyebrow raised. Sapnap just shrugged.  
“Let them be, they’re always like that,” he said. “Knowing them, they’ll have a divorce in about three minutes, and behave like a cutesy old couple in 15 minutes. Happens at least three times a day.”  
“Right…” Dream said hesitantly. “Can we go explore the server maybe? I feel like I’ve missed a shit load, and I want to know everything. At least, if that’s fine with Sam.”

Sam nodded, and Dream beamed with excitement. He hadn’t “seen” his home in six months, and he knew a lot has changed. He was, however, convinced he would enjoy every second of it, no matter how much was different.

And so, the four of them started walking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note again: it might be a while before I make the next chapter. I've been getting loads of inspiration for my other work (check it out if you want!) and the next chapter will require a lot of research I don't really feel like doing at the moment. Keep in mind that Dream is seeing the smp for the first time in six months, so I have to figure out what builds were there six months ago and which weren't. It's especially difficult since I still haven't fully decided the point where Dream completely lost himself. 
> 
> So I will be active on here, just might not be for a while on this story. I'll be back tho!


End file.
